KARACHI: Following the strict COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) postponed an upcoming tour of Australia on Wednesday, 11 days before the scheduled first match.

According to the details, the New Zealand government imposed new entry rules which require a mandatory 10-day isolation period for access into the country. Following this, the NZC decided to call off the Australian tour citing “no guarantee of the space and facilities for the team on their arrival”.

Cricket Australia (CA), on the other hand, offered to extend the tour schedule in order for the Blackcaps to pick a suitable time for their return. However, the New Zealand government said that they could not provide certainty on this either.

After the postponement, Chief Executive NZC – Dana White said the advent of the Omicron variant “prompted a change of heart from the government”.

“NZC and CA (Cricket Australia) had discussed expanding the tour and delaying the squad’s return to New Zealand in the hopes of making it more feasible for the government to approve. But we received advice this morning that they could not provide certainty over this, either,” White said.

New Zealand was scheduled to tour Australia to play three-match ODI and T20I series. With the first match previously scheduled on January 30.

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